Page:A voyage to Abyssinia (Salt).djvu/195

 my former journey, called Turabo. By this time it was twenty minutes past eight o'clock; so that no more than two hours and a half had been occupied in the ascent since we left our station in the morning at Tak-kum-ta. To refresh ourselves after this exertion we encamped in the plain, enjoying one of the finest mornings that can be imagined, the thermometer standing at 61°.

Soon afterwards we had the pleasure of seeing the greater part of our baggage safely arrive. The heavy packages had been slung on poles by means of ropes, fortunately provided at Mocha, and from ten to sixteen bearers had been allotted to each load, so that they had managed, by relieving each other at intervals, to get up the ascent with tolerable facility. As our situation was now considered perfectly secure, from having reached the territory subject to the Baharnegash, the guns and some of the more cumbrous articles were placed under the care of Guebra Michael, (his son,) with orders to follow us as expeditiously as possible, whilst we ourselves proceeded forward with a detachment carrying the lighter portion of our baggage to Dixan. The view that bursts upon the traveller, as he begins to descend the southern side of Taranta, is one of the most magnificent that human imagination can conceive, extending over the abrupt mountains of Tigré to the pinnacled and distant heights of Adowa, which, though singularly diversified with patches of vegetation, extensive forests of kolquall, and numberless intersecting vallies, were so harmoniously blended together by a luminous atmosphere, as to form one vast and unbroken expanse. On my former journey we descended this mountain in the midst of a heavy and incessant storm. We were then entering upon an unknown country, with dubious steps and no very certain assurance of the reception that we were likely to encounter. The recollection of our feelings on that occasion formed a pleasing contrast to our present sensations; for now every thing promised success, the sun shone bright on the landscape before us, and we were surrounded with tried and faithful followers. As the steepness of the path we had to descend rendered riding unsafe, we dismounted from our mules, threw the reins over their necks, and left them to make